System for analyzing code perforations



P 1951 J. N. WHEELER 2,566,972

SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING com: PERFORATIONS Filed June 22, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR J0///V' 1v. m/mm BY Qwc 92A,.

ATTORNEY Sept. 4, 1951 J. N. WHEELER 2,566,972

SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING CODE PERFORATIONS Filed June 22, 1949 2 SheeL -Sheet 2 TEE- COM/WT/UM INVENTOR JOH/V N. WHEELER BY q cmm ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4., 1951 SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING CODE PERFORATIONS John N. Wheeler, Hawthorne, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 22, 1949, Serial No. 100,608

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to systems for analyzing data which appears in the form of code perforations in a record medium, such as a tape or card, and more particularly to systems which control the operation of a printer in response to code perforations so as to provide a printed record of the data represented by the perforations.

By providing relays which operate to position contacts in different control circuits in response to the sensing of perforations, and providing other contacts in the same circuits to be operated by cams at different times corresponding to the movement of a print member to its different printing positions, a very simple and inexpensive system may be obtained for controlling the operation of the print member to produce a printed record of the data represented by the perforations. The control circuits are desirably connected in parallel with each other and in series with a relay having contacts connected in an operating circuit with a magnet which functions when energized to stop the.- print member in one of its printing positions. The relay contacts in the control circuits may be opened selectively in response to the sensing of perforations at different index points on a tape or card, and the cam contacts may be closed in predetermined combinations as the print member approaches its different printing positions. If the cam contacts and the relay contacts in any one of the control circuits are closed, the relay connected in series with them is energized to open its contacts in the operating circuit. The operationof the relay contacts and the cam contacts in the control circuits is such that at least one of the circuits is completed except when the closing of the cam contacts corresponds to the opening of the relay contacts. At this time all of the control circuits are open and the relay connected in series with them is de-energized to effect a closing of its contacts. Another set of contacts may be connected in the operating circuit and be intermittently closed by a cam as the print member is moved to its different printing positions. When both the cam contacts and the relay contacts in the operating circuit are closed, the magnet is energized to effect a stopping of the print member.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved system for analyzing code perforations in a record tape or card and controlling the operation of a printer to print the data represented by such perforations.

Another object is to provide an improved system having relay contacts which are setup in response to the sensing of perforations during one portion 2 of a machine cycle and having cam contacts which are set up during another portion of the cycle to control the operation of print members for printing data represented by the perforations.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the improved system controlling the operation of a type bar in response to the sensing of perforations in a record tape.

Fig. 2 is a chart indicating the index positions at which perforations must be located in the tape to effect a printing of different digits from print elements carried by the type bar.

Fig. 3 is a timing diagram.

The improved system is shown in the schematic diagram of Fig. 1 controlling the stopping of a type bar i in its different printing positions in response to the sensing of perforations in a tape 2. The type bar, as shown herein, forms part of a printing mechanism which may be like that disclosed in Patent No. 1,379,268 granted to C. D. Lake.

Reciprocably supported by the bar I are printing elements 4 which are adapted to be struck by a hammer 6 for forcing them against a strip of paper I passing over a roller 9. An inked ribbon I0 is arranged between the printing elements and the roller for transmitting characters from the elements to the paper. The printing elements in this case are adapted to print the digits 0 to 9, the bottom element printing 0 and the top element printing 9, as indicated in Fig. 1. The lower end of the bar is pivotally connected. to an arm l2 which is continuously urged by a spring it in a direction to lift the bar. Formed along the side of the bar are notches l5 adapted to receive a pawl l6 for stopping upward movement of the bar at points which permit a striking of one of the printing elements by the hammer. The pawl is normally held free of the notches by a latch [1 which is operatively connected to the armature l8 of a magnet 20. An energizing of the magnet causes an operation of the armature to retract the latch ll against the action of a spring 2| for effecting a release of the pawl l6. When the bar is moved downwardly after a printing operation is completed, the released pawl is engaged by the next higher tooth portion and assay/2 swung in a clockwise direction until the latch I] moves under the pawl and cams it through the action of a spring 2| to its fully retracted position.

Arranged in a vertical position adjacent the bar I is a rod 22 upon which a block 23 is slidably mounted. A lever 24 pivotally supported at 25 is connected at one end through a link 26 to a projecting portion 21 of the block 23 and carries a roller 28 at its other end cooperating with a cam 30. A motor 3| is operatively connected to the cam for rotating it in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1 to effect a rocking of the lever 24 so as to reciprocate the block 23 on the rod 22. Formed in the bar I is a slot 33 receiving a proiecting portion 34 of the block 23. This portion normally acts against the bar at the lower end of the slot for limiting upward movement of the bar by the spring I4. When the block 23 is moved to its lowest position on the rod 22, the bar I is positioned so that the top printing element is slightly below the point at which it may be struck by the hammer and the uppermost notch [*5 is slightly below the pawl I6. As the lever 24 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction by the cam, the block 23 is moved upwardly on the rod and the bar I follows the block until the pawl I6 is released to engage one of the notches and stop the bar in a printing position. Regardless of the point at which the bar is stopped, the lever 24 operates to move the block to a predetermined upper position, and the portion 34 moves upward freely in the slot 33 after the bar is stopped. It the pawl is not released and the bar Iollows the block to engage a stationary abutment 35 at its uppermost position, the bottom or II printing element is positioned for engagement by the hammer.

For eifecting operation of the hammer to engagethe printing elements, there is provided a lever 36 pivotally supported at 31 and having a slot 33 receiving a roller 33 carried by the block 23. Arranged above the lever 36 is a lever 4I having a projecting portion 42 acting against a cam surface on the hammer, and the lever 4| is normally held by a spring 43in engagement with a stationary abutment 44. The slot 38 in the lever 35 is inclined at its upper end so that th roller 33 operates in this portion of the slot to swing the lever in a clockwise direction and move a pivoted head portion 45 against the lower end of the lever 4| for swinging the latter in a, counterclockwise direction and moving the hammer away from the type bar. As the block 23 reaches the upper end of its stroke, the head 48 slips off the end of the lever 4| so that the latter i moved suddenly by the Spring 43 to throw the hammer against a printing element with sufficient force to elTect a printing on the paper.

As shown in Fig. 1, the magnet 20 is connected with contacts R5a controlled by a relay R5, and

' contacts CBI controlled by a cam 50, in a circuit extending between power conductors 5| and 52. The contacts'R5a are normally closed-and are opened on the energizing of the relay R5, while the contacts CBI are normally open and are closed by the cam as the type bar reaches positions in its upward movement at which the pawl I6 may be released to engage the notches I5.

For controlling the energizing of the relay R5 there are provided brushes 54 which are adapted to sense perforations at four index points on the tape 2 as the latter is fed through feed rolls 55. When a perforation is moved under any one of the brushes, contact is made with a conducting roll 56 that is conected through a brush 5! and a conductor 58 to the power conductor 5|. The

55 to a conducting element 51 of a commutator 58. A brush arm III is connected by a conductor II to the power conductor 52 and is adapted to engage the conducting element 61 for completing circuits through the pick-up windings 01' the relays. The lower feed roll 55 and the brush arm III are operatively connected to the motor 3| and are driven by the latter so that index points at which perforations may be located come under the brushes 54 at the time when the brush arm Ill engages the conducting element 61. The index points are arranged as shown in columns extending transversely of the tape and are numbered 1 to 4 progressing from left to right. Fig. 1 shows perforations 12 at the Nos. 1 and 4 index points to be sensed by the brushes when the arm 15 reaches a position to engage the element 51. As

- indicated by' the chart of Fig. 2, perforations at these points should result in the positioning oi the type bar 'I to print the digit 5.

The relays RI to R4 are provided with contacts RIa to R4a which are closed when the pick-up windings are energized for completing holding circuits from the power conductor 5| through a conductor 15, holding. windings H, the contacts RIa to R411 and contacts CB2 to the power conductor 52. A cam I5 is operatively connected to the motor 3| and is adapted to close the contacts CB2 just before a perforated section of the tape passes under the brushes 54 and to hold them closed until the mechanism controlling the type bar has operated to permit the bar to move upwardly to the point at which the pawl I5 may be releasedforengaging the lower notch I5.

Connected in parallel circuits between the conductor I5 and a conductor" leading to one terminal of the relay R5, are relay contacts Rlb to R4b and cam contacts CCI to C04, respectively. The other terminal of the relay R5 is connected by a conductor 19 to the power conductor 52. Cams ll, 82, I3 and '84 are operatively connected to the motor 3I and-are shaped to close the contacts CCI to 004 at the times indicated by the diagram of Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the contacts CCI are closed only when the type bar I is moved upwardly through its 9, I, 5, 3 and I printing positions. The contacts CC2 are closed as the type bar is moved through its 8, 8. I, 5, 3- and 2 printing positions. Contacts CCI close only in the 3 and 3 positions, while the contacts C04 close in the 3 to 4 printing positions. The relay contacts Rib to R4b are normally closed and are opened upon the energizing of their respective relays.

Fig. 3 shows the system operating on a sixteen point cycle. The type bar starts'tomove upwardly at the No. 3 point and continues its upward movement, unless stopp d by the pawl l3, until'it engages the abutment 35 between the 3 and II points. The contacts CBI are closed at the No. 3 point to provide, if the contacts CCI to CO4 are closed, a pulse for releasing the pawl I5 to stop the bar in its No. 3 printing positionapproximately midway between the 3 and 3 points. The positioning of the bar in its 5 to I printing positions is efl'ected in a similar manner. The bar is in its I printing position when it engages the abutment 35, and it is held in'this' position until the hammer 6 is operated by th time the No. II point is reached. The mechanism then operates to move the bar downwardly'so'that'it 8 reaches its lowest position at the No. I! point.

The system as shown in Fig. 1 is in the latter part of a machine cycle. The type bar is moving downwardly and the contacts CB2 have been closed. The feed rolls are advancing the tape 2 so that the perforations I! are sensed by the brushes 54 when the brush arm It makes contact with the conducting element 61. Since the perforations I2 are shown in the l and 4 index positions. the pick-up windings of the relays RI and R4 will be energized as the brushes 4 move through these openings into engagement with the conducting roll 58. /The contacts Rio and R4a are then closed to provide holding circuits for the relays through the cam contacts CB2. The contacts Rib and R4b are opened at the same time and are held open as long as the relays remain energized. The contacts Rib and R3b remain closed so that a closing of the contacts CC! and CCI will provide circuits for energizing the relay R5.

As the sype bar ismoved upwardly to its 9 printing position, all of the contacts CCI to CC4 are closed. Since circuits are provided at this time from the power conductor 5! through the conductor 15, both of the circuits including the contacts R21), Rib and C2, C03, and the conductor 18 to the relay R5, the contacts Ra will be opened to prevent the energizing of the relay 2!) when the contacts CBi are closed. It will be noted that one or both of the contacts CC2 and 0C3 are closed as the type bar is moved to its 8, 1 and 6 printing positions. When the 5 printing position is reached, however, both of the contacts CCI and CO3 are open. There is no circuit to energize the relay R5 at this time and its contacts R5a are closed so that the magnet 20 is energized upon the closing of the contacts CBI. The pawl I6 is released upon the energizing of the magnet 20 to engage a notch [5 for stopping the type bar in the No. 5 printing position. The block 23 continues to move upwardly and swin the lever 36 for actuating the hammer 6 tq engage the No. 5 printing element and eiTect-a printing of this digit on the paper 1. ,The contacts CB2 are then opened to break the holding circuits for the relays RI, and R4, thereby eflecting an opening of the contacts Ria, R441 and a closing of the contacts Rib, R4b. The relay contacts will remain in these positions until perforations are again sensed at the time brush arm Ill contacts the conducting element 61.

It will be appreciated that a printer may have a plurality of type bars for printing digits in different order positions. The vertical movement of all of the bars may be regulated from the single lever 24 by forming the projecting portion 34 so that it extends through the slot II in each bar. A system like that described must be provided, however, for each type bar, and each system must be made responsive to the sensing of perforations in a difierent column of index points. A single set of brushes 54 may be employed for sensing perforations in the different columns if the control relays for the other systems are connected at one terminal to the brushes and are connected at their other terminals to different contact elements on the commutator 68.

For energizing the pick-up windings of the relays in a system for one other order of printing, there are shown conductors ll, 92, Q3, 94 connected at one end to the brushes 4 through the conductors BI, 62, 63, 64 and adapted to be connected at their other ends to terminals of the windings, as shown for rellr Bl to 84. The

other terminals of these windings would be connected to a conductor OI which is connected to a conducting element ll on the commutator. when the next row of index points on the tape are sensed by the brushes, the brush arm 1. engages the conducting element It to provide circuits for the relays of the other order. The holding windings for the relays of the other order may be connected by a conductor 81 to the contacts CB2 so as to be energized under the control of the latter. The sixteen point cycle shown permits an operation of five type bars, but the cycle may be designed to provide for the operation of a greater number, if desired. In order to prevent the establishment of back circuits between the systems of different orders, there is connected between each of the relays and the brush 54 a rectifier 84.

When the systems operate from perforations in a tape, as shown in Fig. 1, a blank section of the tape passes under the brushes 54 while the type bars are moved upwardly. If perforated cards are employed, the type bars may be moved upwardly while one card is being ejected and another advanced to a sensing position.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for analyzing data appearing in the form of code perforations at predetermined index points in a record medium comprising, in combination, control circuits corresponding to said index points, said circuits connected in parallel with each other and in series with a circuit including an electrical device, two pair of contacts connected in each of said control circuits, one pair of contacts being in a normally closed position and the other pair being in a normally open position, means for sensing code perforations, means operating in response to the sensing of each of said perforations for shifting one pair of contacts in each of the corresponding control circuits, means for shifting one or more of the other pairs of contacts in said control circuits at different times after the sensing of the perforations has been completed, and means controlled by said electrical device for providing an indication of the data represented by the perforations sensed.

2. A system for analyzing data appearing in the form of code perforations at predetermined index points in a record medium comprising, in combination, control circuits corresponding to said index points, said circuits connected in parallel with each other and in series with a circuit including an electrical device, normally closed contacts connected in each of said control circuits, means for sensing said code perforations, means operating in response to the sensing of each of said perforations for opening said normally closed contacts in each of the corresponding control circuits, normally open contacts con nected in each of said control circuits, means for closing one or more of said normally open contacts at different times after the sensing of the code perforations has been completed, and means controlled bysa-id electrical device for providing an indication of the data represented by the perforations sensed.

3. A system for analyzing data appearing in the form of code perforations in a record medium comprising, in combination, circuits including devices for sensing said perforations, control-relays connected in said circuits and adapted to be energlzed upon the sensing of perforations, holding circuits for said relays including normally open relay contacts, control circuits connected in parallel and including normally closed contacts of said control relays, cam operated contacts connected in said control circuits, means for drivin the. cams of said cam operated contacts so as to effect-an intermittent closing of their contacts in a predetermined order, a relay connected in series with said control circuits and having a pair of contacts, electrically operated means connected in a circuit with said pair of contacts, and means controlled by said electrically operated means for providing an indication of the data represented by the perforations sensed.

4. The system of claim 3 including cam operated contacts connected in said holding circuits for breaking the latter after said-last mentioned means has been positioned to provide an indication of the data represented by the perforations sensed.

5.; A system for positioning a printing member to print data represented by code perforations at predetermined index points-in a record medium comprising, in combination, means for moving said printing member successively through its printing positions, mean including an electrical device which is operable when energized to effect a stopping of said printing member in anyone of its printing positions, means for controlling the energizing of said electrical device comprising a plurality of control circuits connected in parallel with each other and connected in series with a circuit including a relay, contacts for said relay connected in a circuit with said electrical device, two pair of contacts connected in each of said control circuits, one pair being normally closed and the other pair being normally open, means for sensing perforations at index points corresponding to said controlcircuits, means operating in response to the sensing of said perforations for opening said normally closed contacts in each of the corresponding control circuits, and means for closing one or more of said normally. open contacts as said printing member isfmoved to each of its different printing positions.

6. A system for positioning a printing member to print data represented by code perforations at predetermined index points in a record medium comprising, in combination, means for moving said printing member successively through its printing positions, means including an electrical device which is operable when energized to eii'ect a stopping of said printing member in any one of its printing positions, meansfor controlling the energizing of said electrical device comprising a plurality of control circuits connected in parallel with each other and connected in series with a circuit including a relay, contacts for said relay connected in a, circuit with said electrical device, means for sensing perforations at index points corresponding to said control circuits, control relays connected in circuits with said sensing means and having normally closed contacts connected in said control circuits, holding circuits for said control relays including normally open contacts .of said control relays, normally open contacts .connected in said control circuits, and means for closing one or more of said last mentioned normally open contacts intermittently in a predetermine'd order as said printing member is moved to eachof its different printing positions.

1 7. The system of claim 6 in which the contacts for -said first mentioned relay are normally closed, andsaid last mentioned normally open contacts are closed to complete one or more of said control circuits .in each position of said printing member except that at which it is adapted to print the data represented by the perforations sensed.

8. -A system operable cyclically to position a printing mcmberfor printing, data represented by code perforations at index points lying in columns on a record medium comprising, in combination, means for moving said printing member from a home position through its printing positions during a portion of each cycle and then back'to its home position during the remainder of eachcycle, means includ;ng an electrical device which is operable when energized to stop said member in one of its printing positions, means for controlling the energizing of said electrical device comprising control circuits corresponding to the index points in each column and connected in parallel with each other, a circuit connected in series with said control circuits and including a relay having contacts connected in a circuit with said electrical device, means for sensing simultaneously any perforations in one column of index points while said printing member is moved toward its home position, control relays connected in circuits including said sensing means and having contacts connected in said control circuits, holding circuits for said control relays, cam operated contacts connected in each of said control circuit=,-and means for actuating thecams of said cam operated contacts to effect a closing of the contacts for completing one or more of said control circuits. inall positions of said printing member exccptthat in which it is adapted to print the data represented by the perforations sensed. I

- JOHN .N. WHEELER.

nErEnENcEs CITED The following references are of record in the.

iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,049,719 Pierce Aug. 4, 1936 2,101,435 Lang Dec. 7, 1937 2,343,398 Bryce Mar. 7, 1944 

